Retractable stop adjacent run-off rollers



March 5, I963 M. MORGAN 3,080,044

RETRACTABLE STOP ADJACENT RUN-OFF ROLLERS Filed June 29, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. myles' Morgan BY W Gait-mi w-%-4 H tto'rneys M. MORGAN March 5, 1 963 RETRACTABLE STOP ADJACENT RUN-OFF ROLLERS Filed June 29, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H o'rneys 3,680,044 RETRACTABLE STOP ADJACENT RUN-OFF ROLLERS Myles Morgan, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Morgan Construction Company, Worcester, Mass at corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 29, 1961, Ser. No. 120,764 8 (llaims. (Cl. 198-107) This invention is concerned with machinery used in moving long thin elements, such as bars or angles, for example, from one position to another. ts principal use will be found in the metal producing industries, ferrous or non-ferrous, in which a plurality of side-by-side bars or the like are to be conveyed by a plurality of aligned rollers from a position alongside a cooling bed to a storage position or to a shear location where they will be cut into shorter lengths.

in connection with the following description, reference will be made to the invention as related to a merchant mill, which normally produces bars and angles in various cross-sectional configurations, but it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable in other analogous situations.

In a conventional merchant mill, the elongated elements, which, for convenience, Will hereinafter be re ferred to as bars, are delivered from the roll stands to a cooling bed. At the cooling bed, the bars are moved laterally step-by-step across the cooling bed racks, from which they slide or roll down an incline to rest on the adjacent shufile bars. Further movement of the bars at this time to the run-ofi rollers to which the shuflle bars extend has heretofore been prevented by a series of fixed stops which are positioned in a line adjacent the near ends of the run-oil rollers. When enough bars have accumulated on the shufile bars behind the stops, the shufiie bars are raised and actuated, causing the bars to travel along the shufiie bars over the stops to a position above the run-01f rollers The shuttle bars are then lowered and their motion stopped so that the bars rest on the run-oil rollers, which are at once put into operation, causing the batch of bars on the rollers to travel to a subsequent desired position.

As the bars leave the cooling bed, they descend quite rapidly along the sloping ends of the racks of the cooling bed and travel quickly across the shuiiie bars and the intermediate supports. Unless the stops are of sufiicient height, the larger-sized bars rolling across the shufile bars may occasionally jump over the stops, particularly near their ends, to cause subsequent difliculty when the next batch of bars is to be moved to the run-oft rollers. Difficulty has also been encountered with the trailing ends of bars being caught on stops as the rollers go into operation, causing misalignment of the bars, which is troublesome at the shearing station. it has, therefore, been the practice to make the stops as high as possible to prevent bars from jumping over the stops, but at the same time the height of the stops is necessarily limited by the height to which the shuiile bars can be raised when they are put into operation. That is to say, if the top of the stop were higher than the highest position of the shuffle oars, then the bars could not be moved properly to their position above the run-ofi rollers. On the other hand, if the stops are too short, they may fail to stop the bars rolling across the shuffle bars toward the run-oh rollers.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a stop of new and novel construction which may be as high as necessary to prevent any travel of the bars beyond the stops as the bars initially leave the cooling bed and at the same time so arranged that when the shuffle bars are put into operation to move the bars to the runoff Fatented Mar. 5, i953 rollers the stops will move downwardly a sufficient distance so that they will at this time be entirely below the upper surface of the shuflle bars. In this way there can be no interference with proper movement of the bars by the shuffle bars to the run-off rollers. After the bars have been moved to the run-cit rollers by the shufile bars, the shufile bars, under the control of the operator, will cease their operation and be lowered below the level of the rollers, and at the same time the stops will ascend above the shufile bars to check further movement of the bars now coming on from the cooling bed.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an installation including the present invention and showing the terminal ends of the racks of the cooling bed, two adjacent sets of shuttle bars, and two of the rollers of the run-off table;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing one of the stops in operative position to prevent further advance of the bars that have left the run-oil table;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the shuffle bars in operation and the stop retracted;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 in which the stop has been returned to normal position after a proper number of bars have been delivered by the shufiie bars to a position over the rollers of the run-oil table.

Referring first to FIG. 1, which is a plan view of the terminal ends of the racks of the cooling bed, adjacent pairs of shufile bars, and two of the rollers of the run-oil table, the cooling bed is designated generally at 2 and comprises a plurality of fixed notched racks 4 and inter mediate movable notched racks 6. Conventional aligning rolls 8, actuated by a motor 19, gearing 12, and belts 14, are shown for the purpose of further orienting the invention, but the aligning rolls are not part of the present invention and are not claimed.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, both the fixed and movable racks 4 and 6 terminate in sloping portions 16 and 18. As the bars, indicated at 20, are moved from the last notch of the fixed rack 4 of the cooling bed by the movable rack 6, they are deposited on the slope 16 to roll down that slope under gravity to land on the shuffle bars 22 and 24. The left ends of the shuttle bars, as viewed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, extend a sufiicient distance toward and between the racks 4 and 6 so as to provide continuous supporting surfaces over which the bars may move.

The shuffle bars 22 and 2-4 are of conventional construction and are actuated in the usual manner by a shaft 25, eccentrics 23 and 3t), and their respective eccentric straps 32 and 34, the upper ends of which are tastened to their respective shufile bars. The straps 34 of shuttle bars 24 are connected together by channels 35', while the straps 32 of shuflle bars 22 are connected by channels 37. The eccentrics 28 and 3d are set derees apart. In this manner, shufile bars 24 move together in their normal circular and sliding path, as do the shuffle bars 22, lagging 189 degrees.

The other ends of the shufile bars, indicated at 22b and 241), are supported on rollers 25 mounted in the forked ends 36 of the shufile bar lifting levers 38. These lifting levers are secured to a lifting lever drive shaft 46 which, when rotated to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, causes the lifting levers 38 to shift their position from that shown in PEG. 2 to that in FIG. 3. When lifting lever 33 is in the position of FIG. 3, the remote ends 2222 and 24b of the shufile bars are lifted to a height where they will be at all times above the upper surfaces of the aligned rollers 42 and the permanent supports 45 so that the shuffle bars in their usual manner can cause the bars resting thereon to be conveyed to a position above the rollers.

All that has been discussed thus far is conventional. The new inventive feature which acts in combination with the other mechanism will now be explained. A crank arm 44 is aflixed to lifting lever drive shaft 40 at a position intermediate the shuffie bar lifting levers 38. To this crank arm is pivot-ally attached at "47 a connecting rod 46 which at its other end is pivotally attached at 49 to a bell crank 43 pivoted at 50. The upper portion of the bell crank indicated at 51 constitutes a stop. When the shuffle bar lifting lever 38 is in the position shown in FIG. 2 the stop 51 will extend upwardly above that portion of the table 52 to a height sufiicient to prevent any of the bars passing the series of aligned stops 51 as they move along the shufile bars toward the cooling bed.

When the lifting levers 38 are swung to the position 'of FIG. 3, each stop 51 is swung downwardly to a position below table 52 and below the top surfaces of the shuflie bars 22 and 24 so that, as the shuffle bars pursue their customary movement to shift the leading group of bars 20 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3, there will be no interference whatsoever by the stops 51. I

When the operator determines that enough @bars have been delivered to a location over the rollers 42, he then causes lifting lever 'drive shaft 40 to be actuated in the opposite direction, returning lifting lever 38 to the position of FIGS. 2 and 4, which in turn causes the immediate raising of the stop 51 to the position of FIG. 4, to cut oil further movement of any of the bars that may then be on the shufile barsand traveling in the direction of the rollers. As the shufile bars are lowered, the bars 20 over rollers 42 are likewise lowered to rest on the rollers, which are then put into operation, moving the bars longitudinally away to a new position of storage or to a shearing station. As soon as the bars on the rollers have been moved away, the operator may then actuate the lifting lever drive shaft 40 in a clockwise direction from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of 'FIG. 3, thus raising the ends 221) and 24b of the shufile bars as they go into operation to move another batch of bars to a position over the rollers 42. *Again, as this happens, the stop 51 swings down to retracted position, where it cannot interfere with the movement of the bars to therollers.

The pivoted bell crank 48 may be rotatably mounted in any'convenient manner. As shown, however, it is carried by a shaft 54, the ends 'of which are carried in brackets 56 and 58, which in turn are mounted on the upper parts of the roller support stands 60.

Conventional horizontal plates 62, lower than the tops of rollers 42, are located between the rollers 42. These plates cover and protect the connecting rods46.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a plurality of delivery rollers for moving elongated elements, such as bars, angles or the like, longitudinally away'from a'cooling bed, a plurality of shuffle bars for moving said elements transversely from the cooling'bed to the rollers, a plurality of movable stops aligned with the near ends of said rollers, said stops normally extending above the shufiie bars and being high enough to prevent elements from jumping thereover as they'approach the said rollers on said shufile bars, means for raising the remoteends of said 'shufile bars to a height such that the uppersurfaces of said shuffle bars will be above the said rollers but not above the top portions of said stops, and "means operating in timed relation with the means for raising the remote ends of said shuifle bars, for causing said stops to drop below the upper surfaces of said raised shufile bars, whereby movement of said elements to said rollers will then be unimpeded.

2. In a machine for moving elongated elements, such as bars, angles or the like, away from a cooling bed, a plurality of parallel shuflie bars adjacent said cooling bed, a plurality of aligned rollers for receiving bars delivered thereto by said shu'file bars, a plurality of aligned movable stops adjacent the near ends of said rollers for normally limiting movement of elements along said shufllebar-s, said stops having their upper ends at a height above that to which the upper surfaces of said shufile bars are raised during delivery of elements to said rollers, means for simultaneously raising the remote ends of said shuifie bars above said rollers and means acting in timed relation thereto for causing downward movement of said stops for a distance to place said stops below the raised upper surfaces of the shufile bars, whereby said shuflle bars can then move said elements laterally to a position above said rollers. I

3. In a machine for longitudinally moving elongated elements, such as bars, angles or the like, away from a cooling bed, a plurality of aligned rollers, a plurality of shuffie bars extending from said cooling bed to said rollers, said shufile bars being in spaced groups with each group located between successive rollers, a plurality of aligned movable stops, each stop positioned between adjacent groups of shuffle bars and between adjacent rollers, means for raising said shufile bars above said rollers but not as high as the tops of said stops, each of said stops being pivotally mounted and having a crank arm connected thereto, means connected to said shufile bar raising means for periodically actuating said crank arm to swing said stop downwardly to a position below said raised shufile bars so that said elements may be moved unimpeded by said shuffle bars to said rollers.

'4. For 'use in a conveying machine including aligned delivery rollers and -:transversely extending shuflle bars for transporting elongated elements from a cooling "bed to said rollers, a plurality of aligned pivoted stops having their upper ends extending substantially above the upper surfaces of said shuffle bars when the latter are in highest position, and means for simultaneously raising the remote ends of said shuflle bars and turning said stops about said pivots to lower the said, stops -to a position below the upper surfaces of the shuflle bars when the latter are in said raised position, thereby insuring non-interference of said stops with elements being moved transversely on said shufile bars past the line of stops to said rollers.

5. In a machine for moving a group of elongated elements, such as bars, angles or the like, laterally and then longitudinally, a plurality of aligned rollers, shuffle bars between said rollers, said shufile bars supported by eccentrics at one end and by lifting levers at the'other end, aligned stops extending above said shuffle bars for preventing movement of said elements to a position toward said rollers when the shuffle bars are below said rollers, means for rotating said lifting lever-sto raise the said other ends of said shuffie bars above said rollers and to simultaneously lower said stops, the means for lowering said stops comprisinga crank arm movable with'said lifting levers, a pivot for said stop, an for swinging said stop about said pivot, and means for connecting said crank arm'to said stop 6 Means for shifting elongated elements, su'chas bars, angles or the like, from a cooling bed to a pluralityof aligned rollers, said means comprising shufiie bars 'extending from the ends of the racks of the cooling ':bed to the remote ends of said rollers, a plurality of aligned stops between said racks and said rollers to stop movement of elements along said shufile lbars when the latter are in inoperative position below said rollers, means for raising the remote ends of said shufiie bars to a position in which the upper surfaces of said shufile bars will be above said rollers but not as "high as the upper ends of said stops and means acting timed relation to said shuffie bar raising means for simultaneously lowering said stops so that the stops will be below the lowest positions said 5 6 upper surfaces assume during operation of said shufiie being pivoted and including an operating arm, said means bars. actuated by each said crank arm comprising a link run- 7. In a run-off table, a plurality of aligned rollers, a ning from each said crank arm to each said operating lifting lever drive shaft paralleling the ends of said rollers, arm. a plurality of shuflie bar lifting levers secured to said 5 R f r as C t the fil f this atent drive shaft, a plurality of crank arms affixed to said drive e e em A m e 0 p shaft, a plurality of stops aligned at the other ends of UNITED STATES PATENTS said rollers, and means actuated by said crank arms to 845,152 Weir Feb. 26, 1907 cause lowering of said stops when said drive shaft is 1,117,615 Williams Nov. 17, 1914 rotated to raise said shufiie bar lifting levers. 10 1,139,027 George May 11, 1915 8. The construction set forth in claim 7, each said step 2,751,781 McConnell June 26, 1956 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A PLURALITY OF DELIVERY ROLLERS FOR MOVING ELONGATED ELEMENTS, SUCH AS BARS, ANGLES OR THE LIKE, LONGITUDINALLY AWAY FROM A COOLING BED, A PLURALITY OF SHUFFLE BARS FOR MOVING SAID ELEMENTS TRANSVERSELY FROM THE COOLING BED TO THE ROLLERS, A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE STOPS ALIGNED WITH THE NEAR ENDS OF SAID ROLLERS, SAID STOPS NORMALLY EXTENDING ABOVE THE SHUFFLE BARS AND BEING HIGH ENOUGH TO PREVENT ELEMENTS FROM JUMPING THEREOVER AS THEY APPROACH THE SAID ROLLERS ON SAID SHUFFLE BARS, MEANS FOR RAISING THE REMOTE ENDS OF SAID SHUFFLE BARS TO A HEIGHT SUCH THAT THE UPPER SURFACES OF SAID SHUFFLE BARS WILL BE ABOVE THE SAID ROLLERS BUT NOT ABOVE THE TOP PORTIONS OF SAID STOPS, AND MEANS OPERATING IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE MEANS FOR RAISING THE REMOTE ENDS OF SAID SHUFFLE BARS, FOR CAUSING SAID STOPS TO DROP BELOW THE UPPER SURFACES OF SAID RAISED SHUFFLE BARS, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS TO SAID ROLLERS WILL THEN BE UNIMPEDED. 